2 Week France Itinerary

Planning a trip to France and not sure where to start? I just got back from a two week trip with my boyfriend and here’s our itinerary! We spent the first half in Paris and the second half traveling around the South of France so I’m going to let you in on everything we did, where we ate, day trips we took, and whether or not everything we did was actually worth it!

My biggest tip for planning an itinerary is to give yourself space between each plan for exploring, delays, surprises, etc. I planned each day of our itinerary before our trip with a number of things we knew we wanted to do, but leaving space between each activity gave us the opportunity to be flexible and explore the cities!

We found that the easiest flight for us was to fly direct in and out of Paris. We landed in Paris, stayed for almost a week before taking a train to the South of France, and then took a train back to Paris a week later before flying home. The trains make travel super easy so definitely consider it if you’re planning on explore the South!

Let’s get into the trip! I also vlogged both portions of the trip that I’ll include below!

Day 1

Travel Day

We didn’t plan a lot for our first day because we wanted to leave room to explore the neighborhood and catch up on sleep. If you’re planning a full two week trip like we did, don’t feel like you need to cram things into your first day! You’re better off having a low key day and letting yourself catch up on rest so that you’re energized for the rest of your trip.

We took a red eye and landed in Paris at 8am and then took an Uber to the city, which took almost an hour. We couldn’t check into our Airbnb until 1pm so we spent some time exploring the area and taking it all in. Our Airbnb was incredible!! The host was friendly and let us drop our bags off until we were able to check in. Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements (districts), all with their own defining characteristics and things to do. We stayed in the 16th and we LOVED it. Our street was beautiful, residential and quiet, but it was a very quick walk to restaurants, cafes, views, etc. We were down the street from Trocadero, which gets very crowded but has beautiful views of the Eiffel Tower, and our Airbnb itself had a view of the Eiffel Tower out the bedroom window - such a dream!! Airbnb linked here. Carette and Café du Trocadéro were right nearby to grab coffee, pastries or a quick meal.

We spent the day walking around the 16th, popping in and out of shops and cafes, and we ended the night watching the Eiffel tower sparkle out our window.

Day 2

Museum & Gardens

• Coffee at Carette

• Louvre

• Palais Royal

• Jardin des Tuileries

• Lunch at Les Deux Magots

• Jardin du Luxembourg

• Dinner at Alcazar

We started the day with a quick breakfast to go at Carette and then headed to the Louvre. We took an Uber because it was pretty cheap at the time, but there is a metro station right outside of Carette you can take. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays so take that into account when you’re planning when to go. We went on a Friday and reserved tickets here days in advance for 9am, which is when it opens. The courtyard gets crowded with people lining up so if you’re confused about where to get in line, just show one of the employees your time slot and they’ll point you in the right direction.

We spent a couple hours exploring the Louvre and then walked around Jardin des Tuileries before walking to Palais Royal. We had lunch at Les Deux Magots, which we didn’t have a reservation for but the wait for a table was very quick. We loved it here and the food was great. I recommend getting a table outside if you can. Ladurée was right around the corner so we stopped there afterward for some macarons and then headed to Jardin du Luxembourg, which was one of my favorite places from the entire trip! The gardens were beautiful and there was so much space to walk around and explore. There are tables and chairs everywhere so bring a book or a snack and hangout in the sun for awhile.

We headed back to our Airbnb around 6pm to shower and get ready for an 8pm dinner reservation at Alcazar. The interior was beautiful and the food was delicious! We walked over to the Seine after dinner to sit along the river, which was lined with couples and groups of friends enjoying wine and laughing. This was one of my favorite moments from the trip - seeing so many people slowing down and enjoying life, seemingly carefree.

Day 3

Shopping

• Brunch at Maison Sauvage

• Champs-Élysées

• Dinner at Casa Luca

We made an 11am reservation for brunch at Maison Sauvage, which was a quick walk from our Airbnb, and the food was great. We left the rest of the day totally open to explore Champs-Élysées, which was recommended as a street to visit by so many people, but we honestly didn’t love it! It’s a busy shopping strip and it felt very NYC Times Square so we didn’t stay for long. A lot of people also recommended going to Ladurée on Champs-Élysées but I recommend going to any of the other Ladurée locations if it’s on your list because we walked by this location and the line went down the street.

I made a reservation at Saint Laurent to buy my first luxury bag so that’s what we did next! If you buy a luxury item in Paris, bring your passport with you because they need it to fill out your tax form, which you will bring to the airport with you when you leave to get a tax refund on your purchase.

We didn’t make a dinner reservation for this night so we popped into one of the few restaurants nearby that wasn’t fully booked out, Casa Luca, before walking along the river to end the night. The food was okay but I wouldn’t say you need to add it to your list! We went because it was nearby and not extremely busy but the streets of Paris are lined with more restaurants than you can count so options are endless.

Day 4

Versailles

• Breakfast at Ore-Ducasse

• Cháteau de Versailles

• Seine Dinner Cruise

This was one of our favorite days! We started the morning at 8am and headed to Versailles. Note that Versailles is closed on Mondays so keep that in mind when planning your trip. We walked to the Champ de Mars Eiffel Tower station to get on the RER C train heading toward Versailles Château Rive Gauche. The ride was under 30 minutes followed by a 10-15 minute walk to the Château. Entrance tickets to the Château sell out fast so I recommend booking your tickets online in advance here.

We went a slightly different route and booked a pre-fixed breakfast reservation at Ore - Ducasse, located at the Château, which came with tickets and allowed us to skip entry lines. The lines move quickly so this definitely isn’t absolutely necessary, but it’s a fun experience. It’s €45 per person and includes breakfast, tickets, and access to the Château through a separate door to skip lines. We reserved the earliest time for breakfast at 9am here, and were able to get right in afterward. We spent a couple hours exploring the inside of the Château and then headed out to the gardens, which span across 2,000 acres. Wear comfortable shoes because you will be walking a lot here if you want to explore the grounds!

We hopped on the train back to Paris around 4pm to shower and get ready for a dinner cruise on the Seine river at 8pm. There are so many different options for dinner cruises but this is the one we did and we loved it!! It’s a 3 hour cruise along the Seine river with dinner, drinks and live music.

Day 5

Montmartre

• Sacré-Coeur

• Lunch at Pink Mamma

• Explore Montmartre

This day didn’t go as planned but hopefully our mistakes help you when planning your trip! We planned to start our day at the Sacré-Coeur, which opens at 10am. The view from the top of the dome is apparently one of the best in the city, and from what I found online, it costs €5-8 per person to go to the top. We accidentally slept in and got a later start to the day than planned so by the time we got to the Sacré-Coeur, the line was extremely long and not worth waiting in. If this is something you want to do, definitely get there early!

We had a reservation at Pink Mamma for lunch so we walked around Montmarte for a bit before heading there. Pink Mamma is known for being aesthetic and “Instagram worthy” but is not the place to go for amazing Italian food. We went because we saw so much hype about it online and wanted to check it out for ourselves and see if it lived up to it, but you can find better Italian elsewhere, and the main reason to go here seems to be for a photo. The drinks and starters were good but the mains didn’t blow us away, so keep that in mind before you get swept up any Instagram hype like I did. The restaurant itself was decorated beautifully and the top floor was bright and sunny from the fully glass ceiling, so it gets some points there! Lines get long, with or without a reservation, so if you want a table on the top floor get there early and expect to wait.

We planned to explore more of Montmarte after this and go see La Maison Rose, but it started storming and our day was cut short. We got an uber back to our Airbnb and took advantage of the rainy afternoon to get some much needed work done and relax for a bit before heading back out for dinner.

Our unlucky day continued as we got to our dinner reservation at a restaurant that didn’t exist anymore LOL so we ended up grabbing a quick bite at Café L’Etoile because it was near the Arc de Triomphe. Our plan was to watch the sunset on the Arc de Triomphe but when we got there it was closed due to a French holiday. It was our last day in Paris so we were bummed that things didn’t go to plan, but every other day was so perfect that we were bound to have a few mistakes! Traveling doesn’t always go perfectly so my tip is to do as much research as you can, but let yourself be guided in different directions if things don’t go to plan because there will always be something to explore in a new city. We spent the rest of the night walking around and getting macarons at Carette before watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle and going to bed.

Day 6

Travel Day to Nice

• Paris to Nice Train

• Lunch at Hobo Coffee

• Dinner at La Claire Fontaine

Off to the South of France! We chose Nice to be our home base for the second half of the trip so we booked a train through Rail Europe at 10am and arrived in Nice at 4pm. Despite the fact that it was on the 5th floor with no elevator, the Airbnb was absolutely perfect and worth lugging our 100 pounds of luggage up to the penthouse unit. The private rooftop was the biggest selling point and the location in the heart of Old Nice couldn’t have been better. Airbnb linked here.

After getting settled and unpacking, we grabbed coffees and a quick lunch at Hobo Coffee, which is steps away from the Airbnb. We spent the rest of the evening walking around Old Nice before grabbing dinner at La Claire Fontaine and calling it a night by watching the sunset from our roof.

Day 7

Market & Beach Club

• Cours Saleya Market

• Parc de la Colline du Château

• Le Temps d'un Été

• Dinner at Bocca Nissa

• Sorbet at Fenocchino

Our Morning started at the Cours Saleya market, which is an outdoor market with flowers, art, produce and local products. We grabbed the most delicious berries we have ever had and headed to the promenade to walk along the beach. We climbed the steps to the top of Parc de la Colline du Château to get the most amazing views of Nice.

We spent the afternoon at Le Temps d'un Été, one of the many beach clubs along the promenade. The cost per person for a lounge chair and towel was €28, and food/drink are available for purchase on the beach. We absolutely loved this beach club and ended up staying here for many hours relaxing in the sun.

We ended the night with a dinner reservation at Bocca Nissa, a tapas style Mediterranean restaurant with a rooftop. There are multiple floors of the restaurant so be sure to make a reservation specifically for the rooftop. The food and drinks were delicious and the ambiance was the perfect cozy end to our first full day in Nice.

Day 8

Day Trip to Menton

• Old Quarter

• Basilica de Michael Archangel

• Cemetary of the Old Château

• Lunch at La Cabane

• La Plage des Sablettes

We took a 30 minute train ride from Nice to Menton, which you can get on at Nice-Ville train station. Menton is a colorful coastal town and is a must for a day trip if you’re planning on staying nearby in Nice! We started the day exploring the Old Quarter and walking to the Basilica de Michael Archangel, which wasn’t open when we were there but was beautiful to see from the outside regardless. We walked up to the Cemetary of the Old Château to get the most amazing views and then grabbed lunch at La Cabane, a restaurant and beach club. We spent the rest of our time in Menton relaxing on the beach, La Plage des Sablettes. I absolutely recommend visiting this charming town if you find yourself in the South of France.

Day 9

Day Trip to Monaco

• Breakfast at Hobo Coffee

• Lunch at Horizon Rooftop

• Dinner at Nobu Monte Carlo

The next day we took the train to Monaco, which we had super high hopes for it but we honestly didn’t love it. There was a lot of construction near the water when we went and they were also setting up for the Grand Prix so there were a lot of barricades along the streets. It’s probably best to go either nowhere near when the Grand Prix is happening or for the actual event, but going the weeks leading up to it when the area was under preparation wasn’t our best plan.

We grabbed lunch and drinks are Horizon Rooftop and then walked around for a bit before a dinner reservation for Nobu Monte Carlo, which was incredible.

Day 10

Day Trip to Èze & Villefranche-sur-Mer

• Èze-sur-Mer

• Èze Village

• Dinner at Spalato

Èze and Villefranche-sur-Mer were both high on our list for day trips so we spent this day visiting both! We took the train to Èze-sur-Mer to check out the coast, which was stunning. If you have the time, definitely stop at the beach for a bit before you head up to Èze Village. Bus 83 takes you up the Village, but don’t be surprised if you are waiting for awhile because we had to wait an hour for one to show up. Ubers are also available so that’s always another option. Èze Village sits on top of a mountain at about 1,400 feet above sea level so the views are unreal, and the village itself is a must. This tiny medieval village makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time with winding cobblestone paths that lead you to charming shops and galleries around every corner. We absolutely loved visiting this village and it was worth the bus struggle earlier in the day.

We headed to Villefranche-sur-Mer for the second half of the day to grab dinner. There’s a sandy beach here that gets very busy so get here earlier in the day if sunbathing is on your to do list. There are a number of restaurants along the water so we picked a random one and enjoyed pizza and wine with a view at Spalato.

Day 11

Exploring Nice

• Place Garibaldi Market

• Port Lympia

• Coastal Path

• Lunch at Caju

• Dinner at 100% Tacos

We decided to spend this day in Nice because we hadn’t yet had a full day exploring the city we decided to call our home base. Nice is bigger than we realized and has so much to offer so I definitely recommend dedicating at least one full day to exploring. We stumbled across a market at Place Garibaldi so we did some shopping for friends and family back home to start the day. We headed over to Port Lympia afterward, which is full of small painted sailboats and surrounded by bright, colorful buildings. From there, we found a coastal path that leads all the way to Villefranche-sur-Mer, so we spent a couple hours walking along the coast and admiring the views.

We grabbed a quick lunch at Caju back in Old Nice and then spent some time tanning on our roof that afternoon. We ended the night with dinner that we picked up from 100% Tacos to eat on the beach and watch the sunset.

Day 12

Day Trip to Cap-d’Ail

• Plage de la Mala

• Lunch at Edmond’s

• Dinner on the beach

We spent the previous night researching best the beaches near Nice and Plage de la Mala in Cap-d’Ail was at the top of most lists we came across so that’s what we decided to spend our last day doing. We stopped at the grocery store on the way to grab some beack snacks and then took a half hour train to our destination. The walk from the train is an additional 10 minutes to the Plage de la Mala entrance which opens up to a beautiful view of the small beach nestled in a cove between cliffs. We got there around 11am and it was still pretty empty at that time before it got crowded a few hours later. The water is crystal clear and the surrounding cliffs make this beach feel like the perfect little escape.

We grabbed smoothies and ceviche at the beach restaurant, Edmond’s, and enjoyed it while looking out on the ocean. This day trip was one of our absolute favorites from the entire trip so if you’re looking for a relaxing beach day add this to your list. We headed back to Nice and spent the night watching the sunset on the beach again soaking up our last day.

Day 13

Travel Day to Paris

• Nice to Paris Train

• Lunch at Le Crémieux

• Pastries at Land & Monkeys

• Sunset on the Arc de Triomphe

We took a Rail Europe train at 8am that got us back to Paris around 2pm to spend our last evening in France before heading back home. We booked a hotel near the train station for convenience so we got settled and grabbed a quick takeaway lunch right around the corner at Le Crémieux. We went on our last long walk in Paris and stopped at Land & Monkeys, a fully plant based bakery, to grab some coffee and pastries.

We booked tickets for the top of the Arc de Triomphe for sunset since we weren’t able to go earlier in our trip, and we’re so glad we did! It was €12 per person and the panoramic city views from the top made for the perfect way to close out our trip before flying back home the following morning.

That’s our full itinerary! This was our first time in France so there’s always a bit of trial and error with a first trip and some lessons learned for things to do/not do the next time around, but we absolutely LOVED France and we’re already dreaming of going back! Thanks for following along and I’ll chat with you next time!

x Blake